Filling machine



Sept. 5, 1939. F. H. LUHDORFF FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1937 n 2 9 2 Y Z .J r VZN 1 MM Y if 7 d E i WM m 1 V. W ii 6 lit J m 7% Z |H% 4, W MIJIH. V 8f. Z /lI/I 4 .J mmflnn ll 1 m B I117! a I :HnWw w W I w n f Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Food Machinery Corporation,

San Jose,

Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application August 14, 1937, Serial No. 159,153

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to filling machines and more particularly to an improved filling valve construction therefor which substantially eliminates dripping during operation of the machine.

It is a general object ofthe invention to provide an improved filling valve which substantially prevents dripping after a filling operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved valve of the character referred to in which drip preventing means is provided and controlled in response to movement of the valve to and from filling position.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a filling valve embodying the invention, the valve being shown in closed or non-filling condition.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. l but showing the valve in operative filling position.

My invention is illustrated in connection with a filling machine of the type in which a plurality of filling valves are mounted about the periphery of a rotatable tank so that empty cans can be successively presented to the respective valves during their rotation for successive filling operations. As all of the valves are of similar construction, I have illustrated only one valve in the drawing.

The filling machine includes a tank In which may have a cover suitably supported thereon by a ring l2 secured on the tank. The tank l0 may be supported for rotation in any suitable manner, and may be supplied with liquid as desired to maintain a sufficient volume of liquid in the tank as shown in the drawing.

The filling valve with which I prefer to employ my invention may be of the character disclosed in the co-pending application of Albert R. Thompson, Serial No. 158,162, filed August 9, 1937, and each valve may comprise a vertically disposed tube 2| secured in a collar 22 which may be threaded in the bottom wall of the tank, the tube 2| extending upwardly above the level of the liquid in the tank and extending downward below the tank for cooperation with a can when presented thereto.

Liquid dispensing means is associated with the tube 2| in the form of a measuring cup 23 having its base 24 apertured for a close sliding fit over the tube 2|. The cup 23 may be supported by a pair of opposite upright straps 26, only one of which is seen in Fig. 2, which are secured to opposite sides of the cup and have their upper ends secured to an arm 21 suitably mounted at the upper end of a vertical rod 28. The rod 28 is mounted for vertical sliding movement in the ring l2 and in a lower ring 23 suitably secured on the tank l0. At its lower end, the rod 28 carries a can lift ring 3| which surrounds the tube 2| and is adjustably secured to the threaded lower end of the rod 28 as by adjusting nuts 32.

In operation, the measuring cup 23 when in position shown in Fig. l is filled by the liquid in the tank, and subsequently is raised through the arm 21, rod 28 and can lift ring 3| when such linkage is raised by a can 33 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. As the cup 23 rises above the upper end of the tube 2!, the liquid in the cup flows downwardly through the tube and into the can, the amount of fill being adjusted by adjusting the can lift ring 3| on the rod 28.

Ma can is removed from the valve immediately after a filling operation, it is desirable that any liquid adhering within the tube 2| should be prevented from dripping out of the tube and onto the filling machine and for this purpose, drip preventing means are associated with the tube 2| and such means may include an annular seat member or ring 36 which is suitably secured within the lower end of the tube 2 I. The upper face of the ring 36 is bevelled to form a seat 31 and its lower face is bevelled to provide a knife edge 38 at the lower end of the tube 2|, which is also bevelled for this purpose. Associated with the seat 31 is a drip preventing collar 4| having its lower end formed to engage the seat 31 and being secured at its upper end on a rod 42. The lower part of the wall of the collar 4| is unbroken, while adjacent its upper end a plurality of slots 43 are formed to permit the passage of liquid therethrough. The rod 42 extends upwardly through an aperture in the arm 27 and has limited endwise movement relative thereto in accordance with the adjusted position of the respective pairs of stop nuts 46 secured thereon in spaced relation, a spring 41 being interposed between the lower set of nuts 46 and the arm 21. In the lowered position of the arm 21 and the cup 23, the collar 4| is urged resiliently against its seat 31 to provide an annular liquid receiving space 48 between the collar 4| and the tube 2|. This space is made of sufiicient volume to accommodate any drops of liquid which may adhere to the inner surface of the tube 2| during a filling operation, and subsequently collect at the bottom. As seen in Fig. 2, the collar 4| in its raised position is sufficiently removed from the seat 31 as not to interfere with a flow of liquid therethrough, the slots 43 preventing undue restriction of the filling passage through the tube by the collar 4|.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of both variation and modification from the particular form shown, and the scope of my invention therefore should be limited only by the proper interpretation of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a filling valve having a discharge tube and means movable relative thereto for dispensing liquid through said tube, a seat adjacent the said liquid level to a charge dispensing position thereabove, a seat at the lower end of said tube, and drip preventing means carried by said cup for movement therewith and disposed within said tube to engage said seat in the charge receiving position of said cup.

3. In a filling machine having a tank, a tube mounted in said tank and extending above the level of liquid therein, a measuring cup slidably mounted on said tube within said tank for movement between a charge receiving position below said liquid level to a charge dispensing position thereabove, a seat at the lower end of said tube,

and drip preventing means disposed within said tube for cooperation with said seat and connected to said cup for movement therewith.

4. In a filling machine having a tank, a tube mounted in said tank and extending above the level of liquid therein, a measuring cup slidably mounted on said tube within said tank for movement between a charge receiving position below said liquid level to a charge dispensing position thereabove, a seat at the lower end of said tube, and drip preventing means disposed within said tube for cooperation with said seat and connected to said cup for movement therewith, the connection between said cup and said drip preventing means providing limited yielding movement therebetween.

5. In a filling machine having a tank, a tube mounted in said tank and extending above the level of liquid therein, a measuring cup slidably mounted on said tube Within said tank for movement between a charge receiving position below said liquid level to a charge dispensing position thereabove, a seat at the lower end of said tube, and a collar mounted on said cup for movement into and out of engagement with said seat to form an annular liquid retaining chamber within said tube.

6. In a filling machine having a tank, a vertically disposed tube extending through and secured in the bottom wall of said tank, the upper end of said tube extending above the level of the liquid therein, a measuring cup slidably mounted on said tube within said tank for movement between a charge receiving position below said liquid level to a charge dispensing position thereabove, supporting means for said cup disposed vertically above said tube, a seat within the lower end of said tube, an open ended collar for engaging said seat to form an annular chamber with said tube, and a support for said collar extending upwardly through said tube and connected to said cup supporting means.

FREDERICK H. LUHDORFF. 

